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Voltage quessie

A

AlteredState

n00b
Joined
Mar 24, 2006
Messages
27
Im upgrading my psu soon from my current (in sig), to an Antec TPII 550w as im upgrading my some components such as another hdd, optical drives, extra tft etc. Is it possible to have
too much power so to speak. In other words, is it possible for the 550psu to be too powerful and damage something, or do psu's adjust themselves according to the amount of power which the system is requiring from it at any given time?

Thanking you guys in advance
 
Having a PSU that's rated higher than what you need is not going to hurt anything - the ratings indicate the power they are capable of delivering, not what they actually deliver. If your system only needs 230 watts (for instance), the power supply only gives it 230 watts. So, no worries about a high-rated PSU doing damage to budget systems - in fact, the opposite (using a low-rated PSU) is much more likey to damage your system than a high-rated one. It's important to use a good PSU because 45% of all data loss comes from PSU's failing and taking out hard drives with them.

To learn more (really, anything you'd ever want to know) about PSU's, click here.

Probably a more important measure of a power supply's capability than the number of watts (what a power supply is "rated" by) is the amps on the 12v and 5v rails. Nowadays, you want to get a PSU with two 12v rails, and each rated at a minimum of at least 16-20 amps, and higher is better. Another thing to keep in mind is that PSU Makers are often deceptive with their ratings - for instance, they will test them at around -80*C, or some other ridiculously-low temperature that lets it achieve those high ratings. So, in short, Wattage Ratings Don't Mean Jack.

The best thing to do when choosing a PSU is buy one which comes recommended in the Recommended Power Supply Guide - they are arranged by budget, and are all known to be high quality.

I hope that answers your question. Good luck!

-SEAL
 
Thanks for your help and advice SEAL, i appreciate it

Didnt think my system was a budget one tho... lol

is there any software/hardware out there which can test my current consumption state? whats good/bad?
 
AlteredState said:
Thanks for your help and advice SEAL, i appreciate it

Didnt think my system was a budget one tho... lol

is there any software/hardware out there which can test my current consumption state? whats good/bad?
Click to expand...

lol... it's high-end compared to most peoples', but "budget" compared to what is possible.

This PSU Needs Calculator should give you a pretty good idea about the peak power consumption of your computer. For an actual measurement, you could make your own testing cable to use with an ammeter, but honestly I'd say it's not worth your time to test it.

-SEAL
 
thanks again, appreciated

Ohhh, an estimated 320 at present...hmmm, no wonder the rear exhaust fan is constantly spinning.

Definetly time for my upgrades i think..... psu comes in first, with new case
 
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